PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Billy Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zak Maxwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Jones
vs
Maxwell

176 cm
20
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
167 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Grappling Pro Gear
Grappling Pro Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Billy Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Zak Maxwell!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Russell Pearce and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Maxwell drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Maxwell pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jones is keeping the position for now.
Maxwell throwing strikes from guard but Jones blocks nicely.
Maxwell has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Maxwell stopping the sweep attempt from Jones.
Jones keeping full guard, as Maxwell tries to pass.
Jones has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Jones wants to stand but Maxwell is controlling the position.
Jones working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Maxwell.
Jones wants to stand up but Maxwell is controlling him.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Jones with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones throws a right hand that Maxwell ducks under and follows up with a left that Maxwell also avoids with ease.
Maxwell moves out of range as Jones throws a body kick.
Maxwell throws a body punch but Jones moves out of range.
Jones misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Maxwell counters with a shoot takedown. Jones fights it but they end up in guard.
Jones looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maxwell is one step ahead there.
Jones wants to stand up but Maxwell is controlling him.
Jones keeping full guard, as Maxwell tries to pass.
Maxwell prevents Jones from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell looking to pass the guard.
Maxwell trying to control the position from guard on top but Jones is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maxwell wants to pass the guard but Jones is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maxwell slips a jab from Jones.
Jones falls off balance throwing a combination

and Maxwell counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Jones!
Maxwell putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maxwell connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Maxwell looking to ground and pound but Jones is blocking nicely.
Jones avoids a series of strikes thrown by Maxwell.
Jones tries to reverse the position but Maxwell maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maxwell moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Jones has worked his arm free - good work by Jones!
Jones manages to get back to half guard.
Jones tries to kick Maxwell off but Maxwell keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Maxwell missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Maxwell is looking to take a break and control but Jones is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Jones is trying to stand back up but Maxwell is controlling him
Maxwell drops an elbow to the side of Jones's head.
Jones is looking for a sweep. Maxwell is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maxwell wants to free his trapped foot but Jones is holding on for dear life with his legs.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Maxwell digs a good hook to Jones's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones throws a combination that misses
and Maxwell counters with a right hand to the body.
Maxwell tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Jones swivels and escapes.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Maxwell is defended easily by Jones.
Maxwell looks gassed!
Maxwell steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Jones.
Jones pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Jones's corner calls for a 1-2. Jones obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jones will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zak Maxwell dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Maxwell dodges the punch combination from Jones.
Jones misses with an uppercut. Maxwell saw that one coming.
Jones tries to land a front kick but Maxwell steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Jones pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maxwell dodges the punch combination from Jones.

Maxwell drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Maxwell is looking to work some ground and pound but Jones has wrist control.
Jones is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Maxwell is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maxwell trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Jones working a defensive guard here.
Maxwell wants to pass the guard but Jones is keeping the position.
Maxwell throws a big right hand that misses.
Maxwell trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jones looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Jones lunges at Maxwell with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Maxwell's hand.
Jones wants to land a leg kick but Maxwell is out of range.

Maxwell drives through and clinches with Jones against the cage.

Jones breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Maxwell throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Jones stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones misses with the combination.
Maxwell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jones swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maxwell tries to clinch but Jones is having none of it.
Billy Jones is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maxwell tries to clinch but Jones moves out of range.
Jones throws and low kick but Maxwell moves out of range easily.
Jones lands a nice leg kick that just misses Maxwell's sensitive parts.
Jones swinging wildly here.
Maxwell doesn't manage to clinch there - Jones circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones misses with a body kick.
Jones throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Maxwell.
Jones connects with a single shot there.
Maxwell shoots in for a takedown but Jones shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Jones lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Maxwell shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Jones is looking to control Maxwell's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jones avoid being mounted?
Jones is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Maxwell passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maxwell is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Jones to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Jones shrugs it off.
Jones tries to reverse the position but Maxwell maintains control.
Maxwell throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Jones because Maxwell loaded up on that one.
Jones is trying to escape the mount.
Jones wants to hold on but Maxwell pushes him away.
Maxwell controlling from the full mount.
Jones's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zak Maxwell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Jones misses with a combination

and Maxwell counters with a shoot takedown. Jones fights it but they end up in guard.
Jones avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Maxwell throwing strikes from guard but Jones blocks nicely.
Maxwell trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Maxwell trying to control but Jones is working from the bottom.
Jones is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Maxwell is controlling him.
Maxwell throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jones is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Maxwell is controlling him.
Jones looking for a sweep. Not yet Jones, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Jones lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Jones lands a front kick.
Maxwell slips a jab and a cross from Jones.

Maxwell fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Jones sprawls well initially but Maxwell persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Maxwell is thwarting Jones's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Maxwell seems to be working for a kimura but Jones defends the submission attempt.
Maxwell is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Jones!
Poor strikes thrown by Maxwell there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Jones is working to get back to half guard.
Jones is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Maxwell cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Jones regains half guard.
Jones is refusing to be controlled, as Maxwell sits in half guard.

Maxwell is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Jones gets full guard.
Jones wants to stand and escape but Maxwell is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell wants to control from the top but Jones keeps moving.
Maxwell stops Jones from standing up.
Jones wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jones ducks right into an uppercut from Maxwell.
Maxwell misses with a looping left.
Maxwell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jones swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jones throws a sloppy head kick

and Maxwell counters with a takedown into side control.
Jones gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Jones looks like he's trying to stand up.
Jones is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell trying to pass the guard but Jones defending well.
Maxwell thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Jones's head.
Jones trying to control from the bottom.
Jones is in trouble now - Maxwell has advanced to mount!
The referee warns Jones that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Zak Maxwell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Maxwell throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Jones because Maxwell loaded up on that one.
Jones avoids a series of strikes thrown by Maxwell.
Maxwell working the ground and pound effectively.
Jones really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zak Maxwell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Maxwell winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zak Maxwell!